a city of saskatoon semi-annual publication from … · 2020-05-09 · a city of saskatoon...

FALL/WINTER 2015A CITY OF SASKATOON SEMI-ANNUAL PUBLICATIONFROM PLANNING & DEVELOPMENT

nSaskatoon Register of Historic PlacesnPolice Call Boxes: Remembering an ImportantCommunicationDeviceofthePastnGarden and Garage SuitesnLocalFirstNationReceivesPrestigious NationalPlanningAward

nThe23rdStreetProtectedBikeLanenGrowingForwardnCrimeandtheBuiltEnvironment: IsOpportunityReductionEnough?nCanstruction2015

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PLANNING + DESIGN FALL/WINTER 2015

Message from the DirectorA Slow Down Elsewhere, but Not in Planning.Despite a short-term economic slow down, the City’s long-term projections call for a 2.5 per cent average growth rate. This is well above the 100 year average. So what lies ahead? What are the big urban planning issues Council and City Administration will be addressing in 2016 which have long range implications?

Transit A shift in philosophy about how transit operates and how it serves Saskatonians will be considered in the new Growth Plan to Half a Million (www.growingfwd.ca). Saskatoon currently runs a transit system based on a coverage model. A uniform service extending to all areas of the city, whether there are transit riders or not, and whether there is any potential future riders or not. In order to improve public transit, the system must shift from coverage to high frequency. Unfortunately, we cannot afford both. Look for much more information in the new Growth Plan to Half a Million which will be presented to City Council in March 2016.

Homelessness Statistics show that homelessness in Saskatoon is rising. Despite a successful affordable housing program, the needs of homeless people are growing faster than the services to support them. A new model of service is needed. The Saskatoon Housing Initiatives Partnership (www.shipweb.ca) and United Way (www.unitedwaysaskatoon.ca) are currently working together to develop and adopt a new plan to address homelessness in Saskatoon. The intention is to have a single plan for Saskatoon which would contain information about the needs, an action plan containing a new set of annual targets, and a new governance structure to ensure the action plan is achieved.

Maintenance Saskatoon will soon be 110 years old. Infrastructure needs to be maintained or replaced. The oldest infrastructure exists in the City Centre. Much of the streetscaping installed 25 years ago in the Downtown, on Broadway and on 20th Street now needs to be refurbished or replaced. Maintaining a strong, attractive city centre means looking after the assets which people value. The City is planning to build new amenities along Idylwyld Drive and eventually a new Civic Plaza. However, this investment must be balanced with adequate funding to maintain the features which already exist in the city centre.

Regional Planning A key feature of rapid growth is the increased demand for development in close proximity to Saskatoon, but not in Saskatoon. The demand around Saskatoon is not new, but the approach to annexation and future urban growth is changing. A regional plan would be a first for Saskatchewan, and a real achievement when it is adopted in 2016. It would mark the first time that five municipalities have worked together to adopt a common vision and land use/servicing plan for a very large area around Saskatoon. This would mark the beginning of a new era in land use planning and likely lead to the development of a new regional development authority.

Health The linkages between health and the designed environment are being researched like never before. What is yet uncertain is how these linkages will translate into development policy. Everyone understands the value of walkable neighbourhoods. However, even in walkable areas, there is still an over reliance on private automobiles to move around. Health issues and the growing desire amongst the public to have better options for moving around may be the catalyst for a new model of urban growth.

Density Density is a four letter word to some. Density is misunderstood and the public are split on its benefits. Density will be used more strategically in Saskatoon to achieve other public policy objectives. For example, a better transit system requires a different approach to where density is developed. Density will be encouraged along major corridors, where buses are frequent. Density also needs to be used to create mixed use environments for seniors who need convenient access to services.

City Centre Redevelopment The City Centre (Downtown, Broadway, South Caswell, North Downtown and Riversdale) is a vital area to Saskatoon’s sustainable growth. People are starting to worry about office development leaving the Downtown. Coupled with a large amount of vacant lots and several strategic infill areas, the City Centre is going to require the City to monitor carefully some key trends to ensure the City Centre remains the heart and centre for the City and region. The City has identified 19 key features of the City Centre which are locational advantages available nowhere else in the city. Building on those advantages will mean we won’t have to worry too much about the future of our City Centre.

Next issue, I will look at the question, ‘Are we over-planning?’

Alan G. Wallace, MCIP Director of Planning & [email protected] Twitter: @awallace1961

Growth Plan to Half a Million: www.growingfwd.ca


PLANNING & DEVELOPMENT, COMMUNITY SERVICES DEPARTMENT

This fall the City will release the Saskatoon Register of Historic Places, a public listing of heritage resources and properties in Saskatoon. These historic places contribute to our sense of place and help define the unique attributes of our city. Properties included on the Register may be valued for any (or a combination of) the following reasons:

• The property is representative of a distinct or unique architectural style;

• The property is associated with a significant person(s);

• The property is attributed to a particular historical event or theme;

• The property exhibits cultural, environmental, archeological or paleontological significance; and/or

• The property adds value in the context of its surrounding area or landscape.

The Register’s purpose is to increase public education, awareness and appreciation of Saskatoon’s rich history, culture, and heritage. It will help to identify and celebrate our heritage resources and guide future planning decisions. Future issues of Planning + Design will regularly feature three historic places considered to have significant heritage value in our city. In anticipation of the Register’s approval, below are three designated heritage properties proposed to be included on the list.

1. McLean Block

The McLean Block is a three-storey brick commercial building that was constructed in 1912 in the City’s downtown. McLean Block is representative of commercial buildings erected in Saskatoon during the pre-World War One building boom. Constructed of brick and stone, the building presented the image of permanency and modernism desired by the burgeoning business community during that period. The street level featured large windows typically used to showcase consumer goods, but the distinct brick-and-stone pattern of the façade of the upper floor helped distinguish the building from others built along 3rd Avenue during this period. The building was designed by Thompson, Daniel and Colthurst, a major architectural firm in the city at the time.

The McLean Block’s intact façade plays a significant role in the presentation of the streetscape along 3rd Avenue, which features

many of the original, similarly sized brick commercial structures constructed along the street during the boom period which followed Saskatoon’s incorporation in 1906.

This historic place was designated as a Municipal Heritage Property in 2006. Through the City’s Heritage Awards Program, the building received an award for restoration of its interior in 2010.

2. Land Titles Building

The Land Titles Buiding is a one-storey, brick and stone office building constructed between 1909 and 1910. The building was used as Saskatoon’s Land Titles office up until 1987. Its architecture, which reflects a blending of neo-Classical and Romanesque Revival elements, aimed to project the image of strength, and modernity. Designed by the prominent Regina architectural firm of Storey and Van Egmond, this was their first of four such buildings and the most elaborate. While the simple, symmetrical features and the

CatherineKambeitz,MCIP Heritage and Design CoordinatorDevelopment Review [email protected]

Saskatoon Register of Historic Places

Continued on page 4

“Future issues of Planning + Design will regularly feature three historic places considered to have significant heritage value in our city.”

McLeanBlock,2633rdAvenueSouth,1912(2015)McLeanBlock,2633rdAvenueSouth,1912(2015)

decorative iron cornice reflect the Classical style of the building, the Romanesque Revival style is reflected in the building’s quoins, its stone detailing at the arched entry, round-arched windows, and sharp contrasts between its brick and stone finishing materials. Its interior elements, such as the marble finish and vaulted ceilings, also gave the building a sense of opulence.

This historic place was designated as a as a Provincial Heritage Property in 1985. Through the City’s Heritage Awards Program, the Land Titles Building received an award for the renovation and restoration of a commercial building in 1996.

3.FormerFireHallNo.3

The Former Fire Hall No. 3 is a two-storey, yellow brick building that was constructed in 1911, and is located in the neighbourhood of Nutana, the building is associated with Saskatoon’s boom years when the city’s rapidly growing population created an increased demand for civic services. Though a fire hall already existed in Saskatoon’s downtown, the population boom, combined with the decision to locate the University of Saskatchewan on the east side of the city, increased the need for a new fire hall on the east side of the river. Equipped with every modern device for its time, such as automatic overhead doors, a fireman’s pole, overhead harness storage, loading pulleys, and both horse-drawn and gasoline-powered machines, this building also symbolized the progress and optimism of a growing prairie city. By 1926, the fire hall was completely motorized; it continued to serve the community until 1956 when a new fire hall was built further east.

In 1959, at the height of the Cold War, the building became a headquarters for the Department of Civil Defence, the result of which led to alterations in the interior of the building. The basement became a radiation-proof communications centre in the event of nuclear war; an emergency food kitchen was also built, and radiation-proof bricks were installed at the base of the stairs, all of which reflect the mentality of the Cold War era.

The building’s architecture balances a simple, functional, and utilitarian design with more elaborate elements, such as an exterior cornice and interior molded tin ceiling. Its presence helped establish a sense of permanence in a burgeoning community and contributed to the character of the area. It is the last remaining of Saskatoon’s original fire halls and serves as a reminder of the changes that the city has undergone over the course of its history.

This historic place was designated as a Municipal Heritage Property in 1991.

To view the complete listings of heritage properties on the Register visit www.saskatoon.ca.

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www.saskatoon.ca

Continued from page 3

LandTitlesBuilding,31121stStreetEast,1909(2015)

FormerFireHallNo.3,61211thStreetEast,1911(2015)

LandTitlesBuilding,31121stStreetEast,1909(2015)

FormerFireHallNo.3,61211thStreetEast,1911(2015)



The City of Saskatoon Planning and Development Division partnered with the Saskatoon Police Service to develop a commemorative police call box that was unveiled in May 2015 at a ceremony outside of the Sturdy Stone Building in Downtown Saskatoon, near the corner of 3rd Avenue and 22nd Street.

His Worship Mayor Donald Atchison, Deputy Chief Bernie Pannell, and City Archivist Jeff O’Brien unveiled a replica call box to celebrate the history of how it was used in the first part of the 20th century.

This heritage interpretive element was installed as part of the streetscape project currently underway on 3rd Avenue. The call box houses a digital audio playback device that invites passing pedestrians to listen to audio tracks featuring short dramatized stories of policing in the Downtown.

Following the unveiling ceremony, Downtown property owner and civic heritage supporter Dave Denny commented: “I noticed my Aunt Millie wipe a tear from her eye when Jeff mentioned my uncle Russel Stecyk and his police stories that launched the call box idea. It’s great to be able to help people remember all the cops over the years and their stories that shaped Saskatoon.”

The call boxes were actively used by the police and fire departments between 1912 and 1960 to report incidents directly to headquarters. The project is located in what used to be known as Beat No. 1, the area bounded by 19th Street on the south, 23rd Street on the north, 4th Avenue on the east, and 1st Avenue on the west.

A second call box has been installed in the lobby of the police station (76 - 25th Street East) featuring interviews conducted with retired police officers who actively worked the beat during the use of these boxes.

Police Call Boxes: Remembering an Important Communication DeviceofthePast

GenevieveRussell SALA,CSLA Urban Design ManagerUrban Design TeamNeighbourhood Planning [email protected]

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www.saskatoon.ca

Garden and Garage Suites

DanielMcLaren PlannerDevelopment Review [email protected]

In May 2014, The City of Saskatoon implemented regulations that would allow for a new form of residential development: garden and garage suites. A garage suite is a secondary dwelling at the rear of a property connected to a detached garage. A garden suite is a stand-alone, ground-oriented secondary dwelling at the rear of a property. Allowing a garden or garage suite as an option for a secondary suite on a property was presented as part of the Neighbourhood Level infill Development Strategy, which informs the evolution of Saskatoon’s established residential neighbourhoods.

Garden and garage suites are considered a discretionary use accessory building to a single-family home. The City is divided into Category 1 and Category 2 neighbourhoods, with slightly different development standards for dwellings allowed in each Category. Category 1 neighbourhoods are pre-war time neighbourhoods with typically smaller lots and more compact development, whereas Category 2 neighbourhoods more typically have wider lots, more bungalow-style primary dwellings, and include all residential neighbourhoods outside of the pre-war time neighbourhoods. One of the main differences between the development standards in Category 1 and Category 2 neighbourhoods is that Category 1 allows for a second storey for the garden or garage suite, whereas Category 2 does not.

Since the regulations have been in place, the City has received over 10 applications to build suites in over eight established

neighbourhoods. As of September 2015, four garage suites have received discretionary use approval, and two are under construction.

Garden and garage suites require discretionary use approval to ensure technical requirements are met. As part of the process, applicants must submit a set of drawings to be reviewed for zoning, building code, and utility requirements. These drawings include a utility plan, stamped and sealed by a professional engineer, to ensure the suite can be serviced for water and sanitary lines. As well, a drainage plan is required to be completed by a design professional (architect, engineer, land surveyor, etc.) to ensure that storm water will be properly managed and the suite will not negatively impact their adjacent neighbours.

As part of the discretionary use application process, nearby property owners will be notified of the proposal, and will have the opportunity to express their concerns regarding orientation of doors and windows to ensure their privacy is maintained, as well as if there are any pre-existing stormwater drainage concerns in the area. Neighbours do not, however, have any veto powers for garden and garage suites.

Garden and garage suites are a creative alternative to secondary suites within a primary dwelling and are an opportunity for sensitive infill. Further information is available on our website: www.saskatoon.ca. Search for “Garage Suite”.

“Garden and garage suites are a creative alternative to secondary suites within a primary dwelling and are an opportunity for sensitive infill.”

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The Canadian Institute of Planners recently held its national conference in Saskatoon, during which awards were handed out to recognize projects whose results improve the quality of life for Canadian communities. Muskoday First Nation, located in central Saskatchewan, was the recipient of the 2015 Vision in Planning Award for its land use code.

Muskoday First Nation was the first community in Saskatchewan (and third in Canada), to sign the Framework Agreement on First Nation Land Management. “The Framework Agreement, signed on February 12, 1996 by 13 First Nations and Canada, is a government to government agreement that allows First Nations to opt out of the land management sections of the Indian Act, and instead, take over responsibility and control of their own reserve lands and resources.” (www.labrc.com) The Government of Canada ratified the Framework Agreement by enacting Bill C-49, The First Nation Land Management Act, and each First Nation ratifies the Framework Agreement by enacting a land code.

Muskoday First Nation adopted a land code in 2000 and a land use plan in 2002. The land code is intended to reflect Muskoday First Nation laws, policies, and traditions. The document covers various items, including lands and interests affected, land management powers and law-making powers, third party interests and conflict of interest, lands advisory committee, and accountability, enforcement, and protection of First Nation land. The Land Code requires the support of its community, via a community vote, in order to be adopted or amended. The federal government does not approve or amend the land code.

A land use plan sets out land use classifications to help guide growth in the community. The Muskoday First Nation Land Use Plan (2002, updated in 2015) includes a range of classifications including country residential, general commercial, community infrastructure, and general industrial. Similar to other municipalities, provisions for existing land uses have been made,

and when redevelopment occurs over time, the transition to the proposed land use will occur.

Community Engagement

Extensive community engagement took place as part of developing the original land code and land use plan, which resulted in a document made to fit the community’s needs and desires. Engagement sessions were held both on and off reserve in multiple cities with elders, members, and children.

“Involving the community at the beginning resulted in their taking ownership of the Plan,” said Dean Bear, director of lands and treaty land entitlement with Muskoday First Nation.

An update to the land use plan was completed in July 2015 with the professional planning services of Urban Systems Ltd. A combination of continued positive growth rates and acquiring additional lands through the Treaty Land Entitlement process has necessitated the land use plan update at this time. The update provided another valuable opportunity to engage community members of all ages, both on and off reserve, in helping to determine the future of the community.

“We believe that the health and strength of our community depends on the spiritual, physical, social, economic, and cultural health and strength of each of our members, and the community as a whole.” –MuskodayFirstNationwebsite, www.muskodayfn.ca

BlairePrima,MCIPSenior PlannerRegional Planning [email protected]

LocalFirstNationReceivesPrestigiousNationalPlanningAward

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KEYDATES:1996 – 14 First Nations and Canada sign the Framework

Agreement on First Nation Land Management. (13 signed in February and 1 signed in December, 1996.)

1998 – Muskoday First Nation holds community vote to approve Land Code.

1999 – Government of Canada passes FNLM Act.2000 – On Jan. 1, Muskoday First Nation begins operating

under new land code.2001 – Framework Agreement was amended to allow for

additional First Nations to become signatories.2010 – 27 First Nations have developed and ratified their

own land code. 2015 – 95 First Nations are signatories to the Framework

Agreement and are currently operating under or developing their own land code.

Continued on page 8

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The23rdStreetProtected Bike Lane

Mariniel Flores Transportation [email protected]

The 23rd Street Protected Bike Lane located between Idylwyld Drive and Spadina Crescent officially opened on July 15, 2015.

City of Saskatoon officials and representatives from Saskatoon cycling groups gathered in Civic Square for the launch of Saskatoon’s first protected bike lane. Attendees were welcomed, introduced, and given a background on the project by Alan Wallace, Director of Planning and Development for the City. Mayor Don Atchison provided greetings on behalf of City Council and spoke about the launch of the project. Saskatoon Cycles was represented at the event by Hilary Gough who spoke about the benefits of the project for people on bikes. Don Cook, Manager of Long Range Planning for the City, provided a description of the new road signs and

pavement markings along 23rd Street, and invited the attendees to try the new bike lane. Approximately 150 cyclists lined up to the try the new bike lane that morning.

23rd Street is the first street of the City’s Protected Bike Lane Demonstration Project. A second lane will open the summer of 2016 on 4th Avenue from 19th Street East to 24th Street East, connecting to the Broadway Bridge.

For more information and a short video on the project visit saskatoon.ca/cycling under Cycling Plans & Projects.

www.saskatoon.ca

Many First Nations in Saskatchewan have signed on or are in the process of joining the Framework Agreement on First Nation Land Management. First Nations that are signatories to the Framework Agreement, and have land holdings or reserves in the Saskatoon Region include Cowessess First Nation, English River First Nation, Mistawasis First Nation, Muskeg Lake Cree Nation, Muskoday First Nation, One Arrow First Nation, Saulteaux First Nation, Whitecap Dakota First Nation, and Yellow Quill First Nation.

The Framework Agreement:

• Enables First Nations to make timely business and administrative decisions, and provides the opportunity to control their own destiny by controlling the decision making process.

• Improves relations with neighbouring municipalities and land owners by promoting land use compatibility.

• Acknowledges the right of First Nations to manage their reserve land and resources.

• Increases the accountability of First Nations to members.

• Provides guiding documents to First Nations governance, and community decision makers, that are reflective of the community’s desires.

• Engages community members of all ages, those on and off reserve in important decisions regarding the future of their First Nation.

“The key to our success was building and maintaining strong relationships with various municipal partners where our lands are located. We adopted a good neighbour policy and worked together to find solutions.” –DeanBear

For more information about First Nation Land Management, please visit the Lands Advisory Board Resource Centre website, www.labrc.com. For more information about Urban Reserves in Saskatoon and Treaty Land Entitlement, please visit www.saskatoon.ca\regionalplanning.

Continued from page 7



LindsayHermanandRebeccaMounthadtheopportunitytoworkasPlanningInternsthissummerfortheCityofSaskatoon.Internshipsintheplanningprofessionoftenrepresentthefirstpracticalcontactaprospectiveplannermakeswiththeprofession,whichoftenbringsaboutvaluableinsightandpracticalknowledge.Hereisareflectionoftheirexperience.

WORDSfromtheInterns

It’s hard to believe that summer has already come and gone – I guess time flies when you’re enjoying your work! I feel honoured to have been given the

opportunity to spend three months working at the City in the Community Standards Division, and will look back fondly upon both the lessons I learned and the friends I made.

Without overwhelming readers with too much detail, my summer was spent in two parts: bylaw inspections for landscaping and parking requirements, and a review of the City’s Sign Regulations. Each project offered a unique look at the application of planning fundamentals and theory to a detailed topic area. In the case of the bylaw inspections, I was given a chance to discover the series of small details and regulations that build together to create a well-planned, safe and enjoyable community to live in. During the sign regulations review, I had the opportunity to delve deep into the research of a topic I had previously never considered – and came out with a comprehensive appreciation for the many complexities and rationales that dictate our current advertising streetscapes (not to mention a lifelong inability to pass a billboard without questioning its dimensions and illumination).

Outside of the specifics of these projects, I learned a number of broader lessons regarding the nature of planning. While the academic setting is a great place to lay foundational understandings of economics, sociology, political relationships, and creative inspirations, it is hard to harness the true nature of planning from behind a textbook. For in fact, working for the City is like being a tiny gear inside of a huge machine: you rely on those before you and those after you to combine the pieces of regulation, knowledge, application, and inspiration together into a framework that will allow residents of Saskatoon to live in a beautiful, equitable, and prosperous city.

So, even though the appropriate parking for a secondary suite, or the distance between a billboard and a neighbouring residence may seem like small pieces of an enormous puzzle, they are fundamental in the functioning of a successful municipality and its community. As such, all planners can congratulate themselves and their colleagues for working together to build and improve upon the dynamic, diverse and wonderful city that is Saskatoon. I am honoured to have had the chance to contribute, even in small ways, to such a framework, and look forward to my future career in planning and design that began with three months at the City of Saskatoon.

By Lindsay Herman

I don’t consider myself to be a superstitious person – but on the morning of my first day, my Van Gogh print fell off the wall and shattered. My immediate thought was, “This is it.

This is the sign that I will completely mess up this internship and won’t get a job for seven years. Breaking glass is an automatic seven years bad luck, right? Or is that specific to breaking a mirror?” I am happy to report that the opposite cosmic fate has occurred; this internship has been the most challenging, rewarding, and enjoyable opportunity I have ever experienced.

I spent my summer working as a planning intern for the Business License Program within the Community Standards Division. My supervisors were very creative in showcasing to me a variety of planning work undertaken by the City which included sections such as the Business License Program, Bylaw Compliance, Neighbourhood Planning, and Heritage Planning. On an average morning I would review business license applications and renewals, then spend the remainder of my time developing a Retail Space per Capita Methodology and a “Good Neighbour Guide.”

My first project was to create a simple step-by-step procedure to calculate retail space per capita on an annual basis within the Business License Program. This was the most challenging project in that it was very technical and far removed from my university curriculum. However, my Business License team was extremely patient (and I mean really patient) and took the opportunity to teach as well as work with me in developing methodology.

My second project was to develop the first draft of what I call, “The Good Neighbour Guide.” This guide will outline residents’ rights and responsibilities in regards to their home, yard, neighbourhood, parks, and streets. The development of this guide involved the translation of our existing City bylaws into a format more user-friendly and helpful for local residents. I am happy to say that I am now the City’s expert on pigeon racing. Truly though, this was a very valuable exercise in that I was able to put my planning theory to practice and became very comfortable in comprehending City bylaws.

Once I finished both of these projects I was then given the opportunity to travel around the City to photograph over 200 heritage sites for the Heritage Coordinator, research bylaws from other municipalities pertaining to short term rental homes, and file old dusty zoning check sheets with Lindsay. Even though I was able to work on so many great projects this summer, it was the people that really made the job. I had never expected to be included within the Business License Program as much as I was. My co-workers made the effort to make me feel a part of the team rather than “the intern”, and would assure me that I was not the only person who made mistakes in the internal business software (and there was a lot at the beginning). This job was instrumental in helping me make connections from classroom theory to the everyday planning world. Thank you again to everyone who made my internship such an enjoyable experience.

By Rebecca Mount

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www.saskatoon.ca

The City of Saskatoon Business License Program licenses all businesses operating from a fixed address within Saskatoon. This includes all home based businesses as well as businesses operating from commercial and industrial locations.

At the end of 2014, there were 10,444 businesses licensed by the Program. Figure 1 illustrates the overall business growth in Saskatoon and identifies the total number of home based and commercial/industrial business licensed from 2011 to September 2015. The total number of businesses has increased by more than 10% since 2011.

Figure 2 illustrates the number of new licenses issued within the second quarter (end of June) of each year since 2011. In 2013, the volume of new applications peaked at 719 start-ups; however since then, the numbers have stabilized. The Business License Programs continues to observe a growing trend in the number of new home based business start-ups.

For more business license statistics or to view the Business Profile 2014 Annual Report, please visit www.saskatoon.ca/businesslicense.

Figure2:NewBusinessLicenseApplications-2ndQuarter(2011-2015)Figure1:SummaryofTotalBusinessActivity(2011-2015)

BusinessLicenseProgram,CommunityStandards222–3rdAvenueNorth,Saskatoon,SKS7K0J5.

Tel:306-975-2760Fax:306-975-7712Email:[email protected]

Saskatoon is changing – be in the know as we grow!

Learn more and get involved at www.growingfwd.ca

With Saskatoon’s population expected to double within the next 30 to 40 years, change is inevitable. Over the past 18 months, Saskatonians have provided valuable input towards the development of a Growth Plan to Half a Million that will help guide future land-use decisions and infrastructure investments so residents will have more choices for how they live and move around the city as it grows.

Some of the long-term recommendations being proposed as part of the Growth Plan to Half a Million include:

• a new transit system with Bus Rapid Transit (BRT);

• redevelopment along our major corridors like 8th Street, 22nd Street, College Drive, Preston Avenue and Idylwyld Drive; and

• a possible new river crossing connecting 33rd Street and Preston Avenue, combined with BRT lanes on the University Bridge. PH

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When a crime generator is removed, does crime cease? We attempted to address this question by examining an almost perfect social experiment in downtown Saskatoon.

In August of 2013, the McDonald’s restaurant at the corner of 22nd and 2nd was torn down. While open, the McDonald’s became what criminologists call a “crime generator.” A crime generator is a location that, by nature of its attributes, creates opportunities for criminal activity. Some of the reasons McDonald’s was a crime generator included its late hours, cheap and refillable drinks, and proximity to other crime generators, such as poorly managed bars that turned out intoxicated and sometimes aggressive clientele.

Not every negative event that occurred at the McDonald’s would be considered criminal, but the Street Activity Survey found many of the social incivilities occurring there contributed to public fear. Legitimate users were reluctant to use the space for fear of victimization. Without legitimate users at a location, fear levels continue to increase.

When the McDonald’s closed and was torn down and the adjacent poorly managed bar changed hands, calls for service plummeted. While this is desirable, it begs the question: Where did all those people hanging around McDonald’s go? Did the tear down suddenly reform the behaviour as they had fewer opportunities for crime? Perhaps the closure did remove a place to hang out for some, but where are they now? Did this

really address everyone who occupied the space illegitimately? We thought maybe not and so we began the investigation into where those people went and what they are doing now.

Unfortunately, we did not keep tabs on individuals along the way. This is the issue with most social research as the researcher rarely knows who and when to follow. Furthermore, this type of surveillance, even when agreed to, can be assumptive, discriminatory, and unethical.

However, there are many other ways to address this question. We obtained calls for service data and crime data surrounding the closure and mapped each year. We also held group interviews with Community Support Program (CSP) officers and planners who had been involved in earlier complaints from the area. The combination of those two methods identified the type of criminal and uncivil behaviour we were looking for and the demographics of the frequent users of the space. It also identified new areas of concern.

These new areas were of particular interest. Had the crime at the McDonald’s merely moved to another location? This would be known as “displacement.” Criminologists have found mixed results when studying displacement. Some find that removing a crime opportunity will merely move the problem somewhere else. Others find that removing the opportunity not only decreases crime in the area, but creates a diffusion of benefits in which surrounding locations also experience a decline in crime. We had to determine whether or not crime was displacing.

We continued our research by contacting business owners in the new areas of concern and conducting further interviews. We also spoke with the police who patrol those areas and discussed the type of

issues and the types of people they were seeing. We found that our participants were experiencing an increase in crime or social incivilities since the demolition of the McDonald’s. The descriptions of the users of these new locations also seemed to match the descriptions of those individuals (as provided by CSP officers) causing problems at McDonald’s.

These findings are preliminary. But seem to indicate that the closure and demolition of a crime generator did not reduce crime. Rather, it displaced it to other areas in the City. While our research continues, particularly working with the police to further investigate our current findings, our investigation thus far suggests something quite important.

While it may be necessary to improve the built environment to reduce crime in a particular location (i.e. Crime Prevention through Environmental Design) doing so alone does not necessarily always address the people committing the crime. Without investing time and capital into social changes such as employment opportunities, safe and accessible housing, and community building events which can offer meaning and purpose, the people committing crime may just commit crime somewhere new or commit different crimes.

TarahHodgkinsonNeighbourhood Safety Planning InternNeighbourhood Planning Section

Crimeandthe BuiltEnvironment: Is Opportunity ReductionEnough?

ElisabethMiller,MCIPSenior PlannerNeighbourhood Planning [email protected]

Bio: Tarah Hodgkinson is a PhD candidate in criminology from Simon Fraser University. She worked with the Neighbourhood Safety planners this summer to establish an evaluation process for Neighbourhood Safety recommendations that have been implemented. During her work term, she also conducted this displacement effect study. Neighbourhood Safety was fortunate to have Tarah’s skills and knowledge applied to the program this summer.

City of SaskatoonPlanning & Development222–3rd Avenue NorthSaskatoon, SK S7K [email protected]

The current issue of Planning + Design is available for download at www.saskatoon.ca.

The information contained in this publication is not copyright protected and may be used freely. The Community Services Department believes all information and sources in this publication to be correct, but cannot guarantee accuracy and assumes no responsibility for its use. Planning + Design is provided as an informational service to the general public and agencies who regularly do business with City Hall. Readers should not act upon the information contained in this publication without seeking professional advice.

This October, a team from the Planning and Development Division participated in Canstruction Saskatoon. Canstruction is an international charity that has raised approximately 30 million pounds of food since its beginning in 1992. Participants in the fundraiser are tasked with building a structure made entirely out of canned food items, all of which are then donated to their local Food Bank after being viewed and assessed by a panel of judges. Evaluation criteria include: nutritional value, best use of labels and number of cans used. The Saskatoon Food Bank recently completed its fourth consecutive competition year under the classic theme of “Canadian Icons”.

To correspond with this year’s nationalist theme, the Planning and Development team designed and built a toque, showcasing the Canadian Tire logo, entirely out of 398 ml cans. The feat took 3,533 cans, 8 hours and about a dozen volunteers led by Terry Fusco, Senior Planner with Long Range Planning.

As winner of the People’s Choice Award, the Toque Canstruction will be submitted into an international competition that judges Canstruction Sculptures from all over the world.

The team would like to acknowledge the gracious sponsorships from Canadian Tire and Shippers’ Supply, as this certainly would have not been possible without them. Canadian Tire aligned with Sobey’s and donated over 2,000 cans to this cause, and all of the cardboard used in the construction of the toque was kindly donated by Shipper’s Supply. The team greatly appreciates these donations and is very proud to have given over 3,000 pounds of canned goods to the Saskatoon Food Bank. A huge thank you also goes out to everyone that donated cans, money and/or their time during this campaign.

JonathanDerworizPlannerLong Range [email protected]

Canstruction 2015

a city of saskatoon semi-annual publication from … · 2020-05-09 · a city of saskatoon...

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